(Hey, those are just the words to a song by Don Henley--remember?) Anyway, these big ol' things are what we would be using for baits. The theory is big bait, big fish--and that theory would indeed prove to be correct.

The fish, of course, not me! I knew this was a big one from the moment I picked up the rod. It was the first striper I've caught that I would say really put up a great fight. Of course, the fact that it was 44 inches long probably had something to do with it.